Indicating device



1,635 555 Ju y 12 1 McGRE GOR I INDI CATING DEVICE Filed Aug l8, 1925 5 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Pefer 0'. #40 in $3) abtome 12, 'G MacGREGOR INDICATING DEVICE Fil A g- 18, 1925 2 sheets-sheep 2 Pefer-G. M40 @701:

Mom m1; V.

Patented July 12, 1927.

AWARE.

T a F Ii! T Y, A COTION F DEL- IHDICATHK'G DEVI Application filed August 18, 1928. Serial E0. 658,186.

This invention relates to a temperature indicating device adapted for use 1n connec-- tion with motor propelled vehlcles, etc.

means forindicating the temperature of any part of an automobile motor usin any type of cooling system. A further ob ect of the invention is to provide a device of the character indicated which may be mounted in 1 any desiredlocation to enable the driver to conveniently observe the instrument and keep him informed of the condition of the engine while driving.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the description of the device herein shown and described, illustrating one embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings accompanying this specification, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatical, lon tudinal, sectional view through a part of t e engine hood of an automobile engine ofthe air-cooled type, showing an application of a device embodyin the invention as applied to an engine of this tyP Fig. 2 is a face view of the instrument, visible from the drivers seat, as applied to engines of the water-cooled type.

Fig. 3 is a face view, partly in section, of

so the device adapted to be used with an aircooled motor, as in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view' of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 3, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 1s a side view of the actuating means for the device shown in Figs. 3 and 4, when used as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. '6 is a full size view, partly in section, of the device shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a detail view, shown in perspective, of the indicator" actuating rod of the device shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a detail view, in perspective, of the expansion member guide in the device shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. '9 is a detail view, in perspective, of one of the expansion members of the device shown in Fig. 6.

In the air-cooled type of motor shown in Fig. 1, a suction fan 10 draws inair through in a c ockwise direction, with the through an arc, the length of which will dothe openings 11in the front plate 12 of the hood support 13 and the air passes through a draft chamber 14, where it becomes heated The object of the invention is to provide to substantial] the temperature of the .engine 15, and t en passes out into-the hood 16 and to the outside atmosphere through openings 17 in the hood 16. The heated air in passin through the draft chamber 14 causes a-bi-metallic thermal expansion methber 18 to expand and actuate a flexible connection 19, (Fig. 5). The flexible connector 19 is here shown as made up of a series of 'rods flexibly connected one to another. The

other end of the flexible connection 19 engages a shouldered rod 20, (Figs. 3-4) which is threaded at its upper end into 8. lug 21 of a rack 22, which is in meshwith a pinion 23. This pinion 23 has a sleeve 24 upon which a pointer or indicator 25 is secured. The pinion 23,- sleeve 24 and pointer 25 are rotatably mounted upon a pin 26, which is securely fastened to an inner frame 27 contained in an outer frame 28 of the indicator mechanism 29.

It will be seen that as the expansion member 18 expands, due to the heated air in the draft chamber 14, the flexible connection 19 will be forced upwardly through a flexible tube 30, in which it is loosely carried, and engage the head 37 on the lower end of the rod 20, which is threaded into the lug 21 of the rack 22, thus moving the rack 22 upwardl and causing the pinion 23 to rotate pointer 25,

pend upon the amount of expansion of the member 18. Should the pointer, while the motor is running, point to the portion of the are 31 Fig. 3), which in the drawing is indicate condition of the air circulation, which may be due to leaving the doors 32 provided in the upper portion of the draft chamber 14 open, allowing the heated air to escape directly into the hood instead. of circu ating properly. lThis will bean indication-to the driver to remedy this cpndition. An over-heated condition of the motor will be indicated when the pointer 25 is located anywhere in the arc 33, shownv as v as blue, it will indicate a wrong 90' ning condition is in the are between the red 1 described.

and blue portions on the dial. I

The rack 22 is guided in its movement by a guide roller 34, rotatably mounted on a pin 35 secured in a wall 36 ofthe casing 27, and by the head 37 of the rod in the opening 38 in the threaded stem 39, which is integral with the outside casing 28. The rack 22 is returned to its"ori'ginal position by the action of a spring 40, positioned in the opening 38 engaging the head 37 of the rod 20, the downward movement being limited by the lug21 on the rack22 engaging the surface42 of the casing 28, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

The rack, guide and pinion portion of the pointer operating mechanism are contained in a chamber45 formed by the walls of the inner frame 27 and a dial plate 46. A second chamber 47 in which the pointer operates is formed by a glass disk 48 abutting said dial plate. A transparent glass disk 50 may be inserted'at the opposite side of the casing against the wall 36 of the frame 27 to cover any printed matteron said wall.

The entire indicating mechanism is ref- 7 erably located at the front of thevehic e, as

. an' opening shown in Fig. 1. The stem 39 passes through in the hood support 13, and is held in position, with the flexible connection 19, by a nut 52'threaded upon the stem 39 against the inner surface of the .hood support 13. A shouldered guide member 53 (Fig. 5) for the .flexible connection 19 is soldered to the upper portion of the tube 30 and is contained within the nut 52, thus hold-- ing the tube 30 in place at its upper end..

The tube 30 hasa-flexible portion 54 at its lower end' terminating in a shouldered guide 54, a nut 55 maintainin the guide in position on the end of a i e stem 56, attached to a bracket 57, in which the expansion member 18is held in lace by a screw 58. A bolt 59 (Fig. 1) ho ds said bracket in lace against aflanged. cover support 60, this ar-- rangement forming a permanent and flexible connection enabling the device to withstand all the ars, etc.', while the vehicle is in motion.

For thewater-cooled type of motor, certain modifications of the indicator actuating mechanism ma be made, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6. The in cator actuating mechanismin this arran ement consists of a series of himetallic -sha ed expansion units containedin a gui e mem er 71 (Fi 8), this guide member 71 having side wa 68 connected by a base 69, from which 'a tubular stem 72 extends upwardly between the side walls 68, which provides a bearing for an indicator actuating rod 73 Fig. 6) which opcrates the indicator mec anism 74, which mechanism 74 being substantially the same in construction as theindicator mech 29 used with the air-cooled type of motor, ust

The expansion members 70, guide 71 and actuating rod are contained within the walls irom Figs. 6 and 7 that the actuating rod 7 3 has an upper portion 7 8 into which there is threaded a set screw 79, which is used to ,adjust the effective length of said rod 73. The rod 7 3 is guided in its movement b the ;stem 7 and the shoulder 77 by the w of the cylinder 75. A rod80, similar to rod 20 of Fi 3 and 4, is actuated in one direction by t e actuatin rod 73 against a head 81 on the rod 80 an is returned by a spring 82 in astem 83, forming a part of the casing for the indicator mechanism 74. This stem 83 passes through an ope in the cap84= of the radiator 85.and is eaded into a cap 86 screwed on to the cylindrical container 75. A spring 87 placed between the inn l: surface of the cap 84 and a shoulder 88 of the cap 86 allows for proper relative ositioning of the indicator mechanism an the radiator ca What I c aim is:

1. A device of the class described, comprising an inner casing adapted to receive a dial plate, said dial plate and walls of said inner casing forming a chamber, an

indicator operating means contained within said chamber, an outer casing enclosing said inner casing and ha an extension enclosing. a portion of the indicator operatin means, a thermal expansion member, an

a flexible connecting means adapted for attachment-to said extension and operatively connected at one end to said'indicator operating means and at the other endto said thermal expansion member.

2. A device of the class prising an indicator, indicator operatintg means comprising a pinion associated wi said indicator, a toothed rack in engagement with said pinion, a rod adapted to actuate said rack, means on said rod for normallyv holding said rack in its unactuated position,

a thermal expansionmembenand a flexible connecting means operatively connected. at one end to said rod and the other end to said expansion member;

3. A device of theclass described, comprising an indicator, indicator operating described, commeans comprising a pinion associated with connecting means operatively connected at said indicator, a toothed rack in engagement one end to said rod' and the other end to 1!)v with said pinion, a spring pressed rod ada tsaid expansion member. ed to actuate said rack, guiding means or Signed at Newark, in the county of Essex said rack comprising a rotatable guide 10- and State of New Jersey, this 31 day of July, cated at one end of said rack opposite the A. D. 1923.

point of engagement with said pinion, a thermal expansion member, and a flexible PETER GRAHAM MACGREGOR. 

